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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. deal — to handle
  3. root — the cause
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fall — the season
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com